A Last Chance To See Her
by tifafenrir09
Summary: Eight years ago, Cloud lost the love of his life. Walking through the forest, he senses someone watching him... CloudxLightning
1. Memories Of The Past

"Do you, Cloud, take Lightning to be your wife?" the vicar asked.

"I do." he replied.

"Do you, Lightning, take Cloud to be your husband?" the vicar asked.

"I do." she nodded.

"And so, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." the vicar announced.

* * *

**TWO MONTHS LATER...**

"Cloud." Lightning began.

"Hmm?" her husband blinked.

"I'm pregnant." she announced.

Cloud fell silent.

"Are you alright?" Lightning asked, sounding afraid.

He smiled. The news had just sunk in. "Of course I am!" he replied, embracing her. "I'm going to be a dad!" he exclaimed.

"I know." Lightning beamed.

"You've made me the happiest man in the world." he smiled.

* * *

**NINE MONTHS LATER...**

"Come on, Light! Just one more push!" Cloud exclaimed.

"I **AM** pushing!!" she screamed, her voice filled with pain. They then heard a shrill cry.

"It's a girl." the midwife announced. The baby girl was handed to her overjoyed parents.

"Hello, Serena. I'm your mommy." Lightning beamed happily.

"And I'm your daddy." Cloud added. He kissed his exhausted wife on the cheek. Finally, he'd found true happiness. But he had no idea of how long that happiness would last.

* * *

**ONE YEAR LATER...**

Lightning was getting ready. The land was involved in a war, and she'd been called up to arms, which meant Cloud would need to stay at home, looking after Serena, and hoping that she'd be returning home alive.

"Why do you have to go? What about Serena?!" Cloud demanded, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Cloud, but I have no choice." Lightning sighed. They embraced tightly.

"Just...promise me that you'll be safe." he whispered.

"I promise." she nodded. She gently kissed her daughter, and then kissed her husband. Then she opened the door and was gone.

* * *

**SEVERAL MONTHS LATER...**

Cloud was playing with Serena when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to see an officer at the door.

"Are you Mr Strife?" he began.

"Yes I am. Is there something wrong?" Cloud replied.

"I'm afraid so." he nodded.

"Come in, Officer." Cloud replied.

The officer sat down. "I'm afraid I have some terrible news." he announced.

"What is it?" Cloud asked.

"Your wife was killed in battle." the officer sighed.

Cloud felt the colour drain from his face. "Y-You're kidding, right? She can't be dead!" he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. The medics did all they could to save her." the officer replied.

Cloud sat on the couch. He felt as though his heart was breaking into pieces.

At her funeral, Cloud stood to speak. His voice trembling, he began his speech: "Lightning was a wonderful mother, friend and sister. But to me, she was my soul mate. I've never loved anyone as much as I loved Lightning, and she'll always be in our hearts. I miss you my angel, and I long for the day that we'll see each other again."


	2. Encounter In The Forest

Eight years had passed. Cloud was now thirty, and Serena was ten. She'd grown up never knowing who her mother was and Cloud had raised her alone, but had never re-married. To him, Lightning was the only woman he'd truly loved. He noticed that Serena was the spitting image of her mother. While Serena was at home, Cloud had decided to take a walk in the forest. The wind brushed against him. He felt a shiver up his spine, as though he was being watched. The night before, he'd kept seeing Lightning in his dreams.

* * *

As he walked through the forest, he couldn't stop thinking about his wife.

_This feeling..._

He turned. A woman was standing alone. She appeared to be an angel, with bright wings shinning on her back. "**You?!**" Cloud gasped. It was Lightning. "So, you **are** here." he smiled.

"Yeah. There's something I need to tell you." she replied.

"I see...It's been a while, Lightning." he sighed.

"I know. Please forgive me." she nodded.

"You've missed a lot." Cloud announced.

"How's she doing?" Lightning asked.

"She grows stronger every day. She misses you so much." her husband replied.

"I wish I could see her." she sighed.

"She'd like that." Cloud replied.

They started to walk together. "Oh, you had something to tell me, right?" he remembered.

"Yeah." she nodded. She looked at her hands. _No!_ she thought.

"Hey!" Cloud yelled.

"Sorry. Looks like my time's...now up." she sighed. He looked sad as he watched her vanish. "_I love you._" her voice echoed on the wind.

* * *

Back home, Serena was busy doing her homework, when she heard footsteps.

"Dad!" she exclaimed.

She ran outside to greet her father. Cloud embraced his daughter, and looked up at the sky.

_Lightning, keep watching over us_, he prayed.

**THE END**


End file.
